The South Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and many other local, state and federal partners have celebrated the completion of a new water management project in Osceola County expected to lessen the amount of harmful nutrients headed to Lake Okeechobee.
The El Maximo Ranch Northern Everglades Water Quality Project is designed to divert water from the Kissimmee River and Blanket Bay Slough for treatment on approximately 7,000 acres of privately-owned land and is expected to remove over two metric tons of total phosphorus and seven metric tons of total nitrogen per year.
Four pump stations, 19 water control structures and more than 27 miles of berms will do the work.
“This project is a big win for the Northern Everglades, Lake Okeechobee and the entire ecosystem of Central and Southern Florida,” said Charlette Roman, South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Member.
Osceola County Commission Cheryl Grieb said the project will improve water quality, promote groundwater recharge and build resilience in the local water management systems.
“Osceola sits at the headwaters of the Kissimmee River, and the quality of the water that flows from our lands impacts Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, and coastal estuaries,” she said. “Projects like this ensure that Osceola County remains a thriving, sustainable community with clean water, protected natural landscapes, and a strong local economy for generations to come.”
